Halo: The New SPARTANS
by bellasluckranout
Summary: They never knew it was going to happen again. They weren't expecting them. But when the Covenant came back, and humanity is at its tipping point again, why would you refuse to make more SPARTANS? Rated T for language. I don't own the Halo empire :
1. Chapter 1

**I do not own the Halo stuff, by the way. Oh! Also, the SPARTANS are alive! All of them, even Sam. I needed them. So yeah :)**

Nobody knew how this happened, how this project came back from the dead. The ODST troopers hated it to the core, the SPARTAN soldiers unwillingly welcomed them. They had no choice. The Covenant came back, and humanity was going to be wiped out without the assistance of them. Master Chief looked in the oppisite direction, and so did his SPARTAN teammates. Even if it happened to them, the soldiers didn't want it to happen again.

**On Earth, in Europe.**

Annabell sat on the swing, pushing her legs so she could go higher than her friend Jayden. Jayden, who found that Annabell was threatening his winning streak against her, thrusted his legs until they hurt. In the distance, the little town turned red and pink as the sun started to set on it. Annabell's ivory dress fluttered in the light breeze as she swung, trusting the thick oak tree's branch to hold on to the weight of the two six-year-old kids.

"Look! _Look_!" Jayden pointed to the sky, and Annabell followed his pointing finger to see a ship. She smiled and Jayden stopped, still pointing. "I want to be up _there_ someday! I wanna go and blast those aliens to pieces!" Jayden pulled his hands into fists and made a gesture signaling he was beating up an alien. The news spread even to the little children, which was disappointing to the civilians and soldiers alike. The children shouldn't hear of the horrible things going on around them.

Annabell ignored her friend, looking down as she carefully dragged her feet on the ground, coming to a slow stop. Her long, blond curly hair was clipping back, but pieces of it hung around her face and blew in the breeze. "Where do you think they are going?" Annabell asked Jayden, now staring at the ships. She felt ashiver run up her spine and wished her daddy was there to tell her it was okay. But the thing was, her father was on one of the ships, somewhere out in the galaxy. She was just hoping her dad was on that ship, and that it was docking close.

Jayden shrugged, walking of to her friend and standing next to her, still watching the ship. "I think it is going close. Close enough for us to get there on our bikes tomorrow, if it is still there. Bring your AI, I'll bring mine. They'll be able to get into the systems and check if people we know are on board." The term AI was frequent, everybody had them now. They were all portable with these purple or blue crystals, and Annabell had one named Cricket. Cricket was a "smart" AI, her father made it and gave it to her before he left.

Annabell nodded, now excited, and picket up her white bike from the base of the tree, playing with the frills on the handles while waiting for Jayden. Jayden got his blue one, and they rode down the hill. Annabell laughed uncontrollably, the wind running into her face and through her hair felt good. The crystal in her basket turned light purple to dark, then powered up as Cricket rose. "I think you should get home quickly," the boy told her, smiling broadly. "Kate is going to be worried about you."

Cricket was named "Cricket" because of the crickets chirping when Mr. Hanks gave the AI to Annabell. Cricket was incredibly smart, and he was very protective of Annabell. He also was a fantastic hacker and okay translating, which came in handy a few times. Cricket looked at least thirteen, and he glowed a brilliant blue. Numbers scrolled through his body, and when he was interested in something, they went faster. But when surprised, bored, or hectic, you would see the numbers freeze as he worked out the details.

Annabell got to the turn and sped right, pedaling fast. She love to compete with herself, so she bet she could get home before the sun fully set. But just when Cricket opened his "mouth" to warn Annabell she was going to fast, the bike flipped from the weight on the front tire, and Annabell covered her face with her arm as she pounded in into the pavement. The crystal of Cricket remained intact, but Cricket fuzzed a bit before turning blue again. "Annabell!" Cricket shouted, reaching out to her even though the motion was useless. "Do you want me to call your mother?"

Annabell got up stiffly and shook her head. Tears sprang forth from the corners of her eyes and her lip trembled, but she picked up Cricket and powered him down. The ship stayed in the sky, and she looked up. The ship gave her unknown comfort, and she picked up her bike, walking home with her bike by her side.

The next day, Annabell wore pants and a T-shirt with a jacket covering it, with her sneakers on as she met Jayden on the corner. They both had bikes and an AI each- Cricket and Motion. Motion wasn't a "smart" AI, but she was a very good at dividing attention when Jayden and Annabell were up to mischief. They met, and then headed down the street on their bikes, slow. It was morning, which meant that the street had fast cars passing through. The two kids had to make do with the sidewalk, which made Annabell cranky because kids were on the street, younger ones and older. Either way, they were bothered.

Cricket appeared from the basket of Annabell's AI, which also held Motion. Cricket smiled at the two of them. "The military is a bit out of your normal mischief levels. Are you _sure_ you can handle it?" Annabell looked at Jayden, who nodded. Annabell had to slow down for a toddler, and then sped up to ride next to her friend. "Take a left here, kids. Then just keep going for a while...I still doesn't know if they are here or not. Either way, if somebody sees you, hide us in your pockets and make a run for it. I suspect they will and are going to catch you, so hide us deep. Just the chips."

Annabell nodded and turned left with Jayden, and for a moment they tried to beat each other in a race neither declared. The morning sun also brought the morning chill, and paired with the thought that they were about to do something very bad, Annabell had a chill run up her spine and silently thanked God she brought a jacket. She slipped the two hologram crystals into her pockets, and just after that she felt something yank her back from the seat of the bicycle. Jayden's was laying next to hers, the front wheel still spinning.

The two of them kicked and tried to yell, but a cloth covered each mouth and nose quickly, leaving the two kids limp in the arms of the Marines who took them. "Send the clones," One ordered in the COM radio, and grabbed hold of the ladder that was issued out of the pelican, and braced himself. The Marine and his friend were lefted up and out of sight, replaced with two children clones who picked up the bikes and turned away going back home.

"This isn't cool. This isn't right," The other Marine whispered. "Those clones aren't smiling. This is going to go all wrong."

Silently, the other Marine agreed. But it was essential to take the two kids. He looked at the girl's face, she was a pretty girl. the pocket of her jacket glowed brilliantly, and the Marine took out the AI. The hologram appeared, baffled. "What the _hell_?!" He shouted, stepping backward into the air. "The _kids_!"

"It's a _smart_ one," The other Marine whispered, taking the other one out. "But this one isn't." It was easy to tell, the purple ones were "smart" and the blueish crystals held the "dumb" ones. "What's your name?" The Marine ordered the AI. The blue hologram blurredfor a moment as he thought what to do.

"Cricket, or that's what the girl calls me. My real name is Hank, because of her last name. That right there," He pointed to the blond haired girl. "That is Annabell and the boy," He pointed to the curly brown-haired boy, "That is Jayden."

And even though Annabell and Jayden were asleep, the Marine thought he saw Annabell's eye flicker. Remorse flooding into the Helljumper's system, and he wanted to drop her off iin her home, and take back the clone. But her couldn't do that. Because he had orders, and they were strict.

**I hope I got everything correct. Don't blame me- this is my first Halo FanFic!**


	2. Chapter 2

**I do not own the Halo stuff, by the way. Oh! Also, the SPARTANS are alive! All of them, even Sam. I needed them. So yeah :) Well, not ALL of them, but the ones that are introduced.**

**On a ship docked on Reach.**

The Marines that carried Annabell and Jayden slung them higher over their shoulders and one punched in the code for the thick metal door in front of them. The light above the panel blinked green, and the door slid open for the two Marines. They walked down a short hallway before approaching the next doors. This time, the door was voice activated. "Officer Joe McHallen, and Officer Terry Bragenns."

The light turned yellow. "Company?" A voice overhead asked.

"Uh, Spartan kids. We have to get them out of the ship, don't we? That was orders." McHallen spoke, while Bragenns just stayed behind, silent through the exchange.

The light instantly clicked green and the doors slid open, revealing a dorm shaped room. Bunks littered the room, and Marines were putting the kids they picked up to sleep. Above each bunk was a nameplate made out of Titanium A, found his kid's bunk instantly, and lightly placed the child into the top bunk, over a girl with olive toned skin. Children were still fast asleep, some turning over and others found the girl's name plate, and put her into her bed and pulling the covers up over her. Her eyelids fluttered a second before resting, and she began to breathe slower, and the Marine knew she was fast asleep.

McHallen watched her for a second, feeling in charge of her. Annabell Hank's long, curly blond hair laid over the top of the sheets, and her arm moved, resting on the blanket as well. She turned to the side, and clapped her hands together, resting them under her turned, feeling guilty for stealing the girl from her family. McHallen had a little girl, a family back on Earth. His hand reached for the pocket on his chest, pulling out the photo. It was of KendallMcHallen , at her fifth birthday party. She had tanned skin just like her dad, and sleek black hair that was curled for the special occasion.

A tear escaped the Helljumper's eye, and he smiled as the little girl in the picture smiled back at him. He signed up for the ODST program when his daughter was a baby, desperate to save her when he heard about humanity almost coming to an end. But now, as his smile faded and the picture returned to his pocket. Jumping from ships feet first was a whole lot funner than stealing children. But he had to do it- for his daughter's life.

McHallen suddenly saluted to Sarge, and looked at Johnson's face as he walked through the bunks. He paused at each child, shook his head sadly, and continued on. He looked at me briefly. "Go eat something,McHallen . You look like you're about the throw up head first in a toilet." Johnson continued down the line. He looked back. "And that's an order." BeforeMcHallen went, he took the two AI's from his pocket and stuck them under the mattress. Those two would need them.

A half and hour later, the Helljumper was eating with Bragenns and a few other Marines who decided to take a break and eat with them. McHallen stuffed the bread roll into his mouth, looking out the window. The landscape before them, or what used to be a landscape, was in the middle of getting cleaned up. Marines were out there, sweeping up the shards of glass from the ground. The dirt then had to be turned, and seeds would be pushed in and watered. That was the first part of Operation: Restore. The second part was making every part of Reach amilitary's base. Event he mountains that stretched to the tips of the sky, and the rolling hills that covered the horizon.

McHallen sighed, reaching for the hot meal that was passed to him. He looked at it, and suddenly wished he could be home, with his daughter and wife.

Annabell woke, catching the girl in the net bunk over staring at her. This wasn't home, this couldn't be home. Where was the small, prowling kitten named Muffins that her father bought her? Where was the telescope she was learning to use, taught by her intelligent AI? And speaking of the AI named Cricket, where was he? She sat up, letting the warm blanket fall as she stared around. "Jayden?" She called quietly.

"Annabell?" It was Jayden, all right. He rounded the corner. "Where are we?"

"I bet we are in space," A girl yelled from across the room. Another nodded in agreement.

"Or some other planet."

The kids they didn't know started to ask questions, or at least talk to each other about what happened. Annabell curled back into bed, squeezing her eyes shut, trying to will herself to sleep more. But she didn't hold that beautiful talent, that wasJayden . But he was fully awake. "Motion?" He called out through the room. A slight vibrating came from under Annabell's mattress, and she pulled the AI from under the mattress, along with Cricket.

"Thank God!" Cricket exclaimed, and he smiled at Annabell. "I thought they killed you and ate you for supper."

Annabell rolled her eyes, something she learned from her AI when it became snappy and impatient. Annabell learned a lot of things from her AI, he was like her second teacher. Everyday she would go to Second Grade Studies, and when she would come home she would go straight to her room to "play" (her mother didn't know about Cricket). Really, she would tell Cricket everything, all the things she was taught, and Cricket would tell her more. History, Math, Science, Art, Languages, and Reading. He never expected her to understand, and Annabell didn't understand a bit of it. But she would make him say it again and again until she did. It wasn't long before she knew more than the third graders, and then the fourth. And she knew everything without writing it down- why would she, when Cricket was right there, memorizing it?

So when Annabell turned and grabbed Cricket's crystal, she sat up and waited for him to speak. Cricket's numbers on his skin froze for a bit before they started up again, whizzing past his body. The hologram sat down on Annabell's knee, sighing. "I don't know where to start," He admitted. "While you slept, I hacked into these systems. I know everything about what's going on around here, but I won't tell you that. How about the story of Halo? You can call it your History."

Annabell nodded eagerly. Jayden walked away with Motion, so Motion can talk to him about something. "So, I don't know exactly when this started, but it was the most recent war." Cricket got up and started to pace. Unlike his body of a thirteen-year old, Cricket acted like he was a college teacher. "But humans, including the war hero Master Chief, or Spartan-117, found this large ring, floating around in space. The outside was metal, but the odd part was, the inside looked very much like Earth. The team spent four days there, fighting off the Covenant and trying to see what they wanted there so badly. But it wasn't what they wanted that the humans found.

"They found the Flood, a grotesque alien who used human and Covenant bodies alike as hosts. After a life span of being in 'Combat' form, the humans think they become these bulging sacks with legs, who carry around the little monsters. They pop very easily, and hundreds of those creeps spring at you, sticking some sharp tentacle in you back, trying to get into your nervous system and take over you.

"And those, my darling, are Flood. But they are all controlled by the Gravemind, which is just a monster one of those parasites. Are you okay?" Cricket suddenly ask, looking at Annabell's sick face. He tried to leave out as much gore as he he could, but it didn't help. Annabell quickly shook out of it and waved for him to go on. "Well, Master Chief helped blow up all those things and then he found Sergeant Johnson and they became friends and all that stuff. The end."

Annabell sniffed, and smiled. "That is more like Science, with the parasites and everything."

"Life Science, my dear." Cricket was relieved that Annabell wasn't about to vomit. It was on his face. Suddenly, all the children were out of there bunks, and the girl on top of Annabell helped her out.

"My name is Gracie." She had short red hair that was curly, it was clipped back to see her face. Gracie seemed very tough, unlike her appearance. Even though every kids now had on a pair of sweatpants, a sweater sporting last names and numbers, Gracie seemed to make it moregirly . She had full, pink lips and very blue eyes. "I am from Ireland, without the accent. My momma is a born and raised Irish girl, but my daddy is born and raised French. So when I moved up to the luckiest place in the world, my daddy taught me French instead of Irish."

"I am Annabell," Annabell replied, thankful Gracie was nice to her. "I am from Italy, even though the accent is American. My mommy was American, my daddy French, too. So I learned how to speak English and the accent, but I lived in Europe my whole life. And that," Annabell pointed to her AI on the bed, "Is Cricket. He is good at everything. I am glad I have him around, or else I wouldn't be as smart as a sixth grader." She puffed out her chest, proud. Cricket's calculations suggested that with Annabell's growing curiosity and every-growing smarts, she would be a fourth grader when her reading levels were at College levels.

Gracie's mouth popped open in a big O, then she recovered. "Really? That's cool."

Annabell nodded, and grinned. Gracie was already treating her like a friend, and that made her happy. One of the things History taught her was to make anyone you can your friend. Because when the time comes for the big battle, you will have people on your side, willing to fight for you. And in Annabell's stomach, she felt that there was going to be a bigger battle than she ever heard was across the room, and he waved at Annabell. She returned the wave.

Master Chief stood in the glass room, watching the new kids train. Mendez was still in good shape, and he was still a bad ass with the kids. One of them, a blond, leaped into a fast run right when his breath blew into the whistle. I watched her stream across the long field, jumping up to secure a knotted rope. Her team, a curly haired boy and a red head girl, were almost as fast, and as the blond held the rope, they jumped on it an climbed. "They remind me of you, Sam and Kelly." Dr. Halsey walked up from behind him and pointed to three Master Chief was watching. "The boy is just a brave, but not as lucky. This is his third try at beating the rope. But the other two- the little girl is just as brave in ways. It is her team first."

The red head bounded toward the six meter poles, with the other two along side her. They stopped, and the blond pointed at the end- the bell that they had to bang. The boy nodded and leaped first, then the other two right after him. It was disbelieving how good they were at the course, maybe because they had the advantages of making a good team. The blond suddenly stopped, and looked at the other team beside her. She said something, and the kids with her company froze. Master Chief looked down too- and an olive-toned girl was about to fall right into the pit of bobbed wire a Marine placed under the pole. "What is she doing?" Dr. Halsey hissed, watching the blond. "They were about to win the race!"

That didn't stop the girl from sliding a foot down her pole, and pushed it against the one the other kid was falling of of. The pole stuck far enough for the kid on the opposite team to get on, and hang on. The other two from theblond's team got onto the thin pole to, trying to retrieve something from the bottom. Master Chief looked at the grenade, the pin almost falling out. It would blast the four into a million pieces. The red head pushed the grenade's pin back and held it there as the other got to safety, and her other hand grabbed a nearby rock. She quickly replaced the grenade with the rock and flung the weapon away from the battle scene, and it blew up.

"They sacrificed winning to get another girl to safety, and the other one risked her life to make sure of it. They are acting as a team. See the blond, Annabell? She is waiting for Gracie to get back up beforeJayden rings the bell. Cleo, the one who was falling in the first place, must be thankful. Her team lost though, but she won't be going hungry tonight." Dr. Halsey smiled. "I know for sure Gracie and Annabell are going to sneak food to her bunk. ProbablyJayden, too."

"What about her team?" Master Chief asked, touching the glass as the two other kids were watching the ordeal. They were on huge platforms, at least twenty feet up in the air. Cleo waved to her teammates happily. "They need food, too."

"Oh, Annabell never forgets anybody. She'll probably take a full bag of food to them." Dr. Halsey shook her head, the bags under her eyes a deep purple. "They only knew each other for a few days and they treat each other like a family. Annabell is leading it, obviously. She met Cleo yesterday and they became good friends. That has to be why she stopped." Dr. Halsey pulled up one of the chairs that were in the room. "They all came from different lives...Cleo was from Egypt, and she instantly felt at home with the Irish one, Gracie. Annabell is friends with Sasha, who came from...hmmm, I think Sasha's from New York, or Rhode Island."

"Who do you think would make it to be a Spartan?" John asked the doctor. It was a common question for Dr. Halsey.

"Not Sasha. Annabell, of course will make it, Jayden, Gracie and Cleo. Emma from the first team, and many more. Sasha won't make it because of her bone structure- She is too small, even for a six-year old. Right now, her organs are already cramped because her structure is so small, and we won't be able to change that." Dr. Halsey touched the glass, just like Master Chief. "She would probably die before we do the surgeries. I hope her parents knew that before we took her."

John sighed, and took his hand off the glass. Mendez waved him down. "That's my cue," John sighed as he walked away from the glass. He got onto the elevator, where anODST was pacing. He looked up and smiled lightly before he started to pace again. Master Chief felt the sensation in his stomach as he rode downward, and the elevator stopped, letting theODST off. He waited again, and the elevator continued.

Master Chief's mind roamed back to the kids. Annabell, Jayden, and Gracie. Before he got any farther in his thoughts the elevator stopped with a light thud and the doors slid open. John walked outside and straight through the lobby doors, out into the open field where his future team trained. "Chief!" Mendez laughed, clapping John on the back. "Good to see ya! Like what you see here?" Mendez gestured toward the kids.

"Sure, enough to help train them if you need me to. But that isn't what bothering me. What's with the kids on the last course?" John asked, nodding to Annabell. She was getting her hands wrapped by a medic, sitting down next to Gracie. When she slid the pole, there must have been splinters.

"Annabell? Ha, she hates it when we call her anything else. Just like her team, actually. Chief, those ones are the wierdos in the bunch. They just were willing to not ask questions, and to follow directions every time, but something happens...I am willing to bet they sabotage every plan I make. Annabell is smart, really smart. It is damn freaky, if you ask me." Chief Mendez shook his head, astounded by the little girl.

"I'll get right on it, sir." John saluted and headed back to the large station ahead of him, opening a COM link with his team. "Kelly, Grace. I need you two to watch Spartan's Hall." When the children were moved in, they called the hall Spartan's Hall, since it started to swarm with future Spartans. "In the shadows, no weapons. Just report to me if some kids bring food to some friends tonight. I just want you to see if they are doing it, no need to go to extreme measures."

"Roger that, Chief," Grace murmured into the COM. "Permission to speak, sir."

Master Chief granted it.

"Why are we watching those kids? Didn't Admiral order a few Helljumpers to do that until the surgeries take place? I mean, we have no problem watching them tonight, but there is a few snags regarding the Helljumpers guarding the halls with assault rifles." Grace sounded odd to John. Like she was reluctant to have aboard more Spartans. When Chief pointed that out, Grace laughed. "No, I just think one of them could be better with explosives than me. It sucks if there is one."

Kelly slinked through the shadows, motioning to her teammate to watch for incoming Spartan kids. "Three inbound, they are carrying a small backpack each," Grace whispered over the COM link. "Annabell Hanks, Jayden Grosen, and Gracie Bargens. They are laughing and giggling, not bothering to be quiet."

Kelly did the smile motion to show her thanks to Grace's observation, and crawled toward the kids to hear what they were saying. "Do you think the two others will be happy to see us?" Gracie asked, slinging her sack up on her shoulder before it slipped. Kelly smiled when she saw the pistols latched onto all three's belt. They were going to shoot if they had to.

"Nah, we'll give them food and leave. Getting the guns are one thing- talking to people who are mad at us is a whole other thing. They probably were hoping the grenade went off in Gracie's hand," Jayden told the girls while they kept walking, oblivious to the fast the older Spartans were in their presence. Gracie flinched, and Annabell patted her shoulder comfortingly. "But Cleo will be happy to see us."

"I like Cleo. She is really nice." Annabell paused, and hissed, "We have company. Watch your back."

The Spartans froze, and Kelly wished she had her gun with her. The kids crawled through the hallway, and Annabell sighed, relaxing. "Sorry," She said out loud. It was impossible to know if the apology went to Kelly and Grace or her own team. "False alarm. Anyway, how about after this we explore the place? I want to see those drop pods for an ODST."

"Just because of your dad?" Gracie asked quietly, smiling at Annabell. "_Sta per tornare_, Annabell." They spoke Italian, which neither Grace or Kelly knew.

"Cortana?" Kelly asked.

"Kelly?"

"In Italian, what does 'Sta per tornare' mean?" Kelly asked, watching the kids.

"Sta per tornare means 'He is going to come back'. May I ask why?" Cortana wasn't aware of the spying. It was obvious that Mast Chief kept it from her.

"Just reading a book."

"I never knew you liked to read."

"Just a little."

**This is a LONG chapter, I know. But I wanted Italian to be in it!**


End file.
